The present invention pertains to spare tire locking devices and more particularly to a device which includes a four way lug wrench locked in place to a vehicle or trailer and that can be positioned on top of a spare tire to prevent theft.
Many types of carriers have been used to provide an effective means to secure a spare tire to a vehicle or trailer. In the past, elaborate carriers have been developed that attach directly to the bed of a pickup truck or to a sidewall of a vehicle. A lug wrench is usually stored in a separate location in the vehicle or trailer, as it is an accessory. A four-way lug wrench has greater utility and has not been used in the past to prevent theft when employed in conjunction with a carrier.
A search of the pnor art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
Norris in U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,863 teaches an upright vertically extendible frame that include depending feet that rest upon the flooring of a pickup truck bed with a upper projecting abutment that engages the side wall of a pickup truck bed. A frame includes a clamp that engages the vehicle wheel and tire assembly against one side of the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,291 issued to Tidwell is for a spare tire holder that includes an elongated spine provided with clamps for clamping its upper end to the top of a pickup truck bed side wall. The adjustable parts of the clamps are so located as to not interfere with the mounting of a camper in the bed of a pickup truck. Wheel securing arrangements fastened several sizes of truck wheels to the spines of the holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,033 of Wirth discloses a tire and wheel carrier mounted in a rack for a pickup truck. The carrier has a base that is mounted to the floor of the truck and includes a pair of spaced upright rods that are secured to a base element making it vertically adjustable relative to the base element. A top element is secured to the rods and also the overhanging flange of the truck bed. A holding unit secures the wheel and tire assembly to the rods in a protected and rigid manner.
Daughhetee in U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,972 teaches a spare tire bracket that is mounted on the rear end of a pickup truck or the trunk of an automobile. A support assembly is secured to the vehicle by an anchor and the invention includes a tire connector which is mountable to the wheel of a spare tire. The tire connector includes a yoke with a threaded member connected to a lock clamp that is removable when not in use.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related reference may be made to the U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,954 issued to Neil on Sep. 11, 1972.
Spare tires are usually stored in wheelwells that are located in the trunk of automobiles and are protected by being inside the trun which has a deck lid lock. Due to the popularity of pick-up trucks, four-wheel drive sports utility vehicles and vans a new problem has emerged in many instances the spare tires are stored on the outside of the vehicle and as such is subject to theft if not protected by a lock. Another problem is that lug wrenches provided by the original equipment manufacturers are not particularly convenient to use. Four-way lug wrenches have been in use for decades and are easy to use due to a length that is easy to manipulate and robust in construction. Therefore, a primary object of the invention is to combine the need for spare tire protection with the storage and retention of a four-way lug wrench. This object is accomplished by the use of a locking device that is attached to the spare wheel carrier or directly to the vehicle and uses the lug wrench as a barrier preventing removal of the wheel unless unlocked by an authorized person.
An important object of the invention is realized as the exterior tire carriers have become more popular and the demand for such their protection is obviously prevalent. Furthermore, the entire market of trailers for boats, horses, and utility hauling has long been in use and has the same problems with external mounting of spare tires. The instant invention fills this long felt need by providing a convenient yet out of the way and secure place to store the four-way lug wrench and provide anti-thief protection for the spare tire at the same time. Four-way lug wrenches alone are not so expensive and therefore they do need to be secured, however, when one is required their usage is urgent and imperative, which again increasing the invention""s desirability.
Another object of the invention is that its usage is almost universal as it will function with any wheel that has a standard bolt pattern since the locking mechanism is first attached to the vehicle spare tire carrier studs using a thin push nut to hold it in place. The actual tire size is of little importance as the wrench carrier is adjustable for tire width. This adjustability is important as tire sizes and rim diameters vary considerably in the industry and utility of the vehicle.
Still another object of the invention is that almost any four way wrench may be used with no modification required. In the United States, ⅝ inch drive wrenches have sockets to fit {fraction (11/16)}, xc2xe, {fraction (13/16)} and xe2x85x9e inch bolts, while xc2xe inch drive wrenches have sockets to fit xe2x85x9e, {fraction (15/16)}, 1 and 1{fraction (1/16)} inch bolts. Metric sizes are also commonly available in the 17 to 22 mm sizes, all of which function properly with the invention.
Yet another object of the invention is its adaptability to fit most vehicle spare tire brackets. Since the original equipment manufacturers fabricate a bracket to fit the wheel rim, and most wheels in the industry are similar in construction, no modification is required. To use the invention, it is only necessary to install a slotted flange that is provided, between the bracket and the wheel hub. The flange is slotted to include a pattern that is designed to fit all vehicles using conventional bolt circles in their wheels. Further, if only the four-way wrench is to be stored and locked in place without the spare tire and rim, the invention may be mounted directly to a vehicle bulkhead or trailer wall by using a similar pre-drilled plate having no slots but a short threaded stud centered to accommodate the invention. The plate can be secured with conventional nuts and bolts or even self-tapping screws.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.